Contributors

Thursday, May 15, 2014

Last month I wrote about Lemongrass, so this month I thought I'd continue with the lemon theme and discuss a few other lemony herbs. Lemon flavored herbs are great for summer: they make light and refreshing iced tea, add bright notes to grilled fish and seafood and combine well with salads.

Here are my favorites!

Lemon Verbena, Aloysia citrodora

Lemon Verbena Flowers

A perennial shrub from 3 to 6 feet tall, Lemon Verbena is also known as Lemon Beebrush due to its attraction to bees when in flower.

The leaves will freeze and fall off the plant at 32 deg. F, but the wood is said to be hardy to -10 deg. F. Since I don't live where it gets that cold, I have no experience with such low temperatures. I do know, my Lemon Verbena comes back every Spring on the old wood. So, if yours freezes, do not prune the woody stems all the way down. Prune for shape, if you like, but know new leaves will soon populate the old, woody stems.
In containers, I've found the smaller woody stems to also freeze, but new growth reliably comes from the root system.

Lemon Verbena can be a bit of a lanky, leggy grower and a bit of Spring pruning can help shape the plant. Left on its own, it's not the most attractive plant in the herb garden. The flavor of Lemon Verbena, however, easily makes up for any lack of physical beauty.

In the garden in the Southern US, give Lemon Verbena some afternoon shade and it'll be very happy, providing you with lots of leaves for tea and cooking. If you have a bee garden, Lemon Verbena is a good addition. The flowers are very attractive to our little pollinating friends. It makes sprays of white to pinkish flowers. Very attractive in arrangements, too.

I like to refer to Lemon Verbena as The Queen of Lemon Herbs! It's flavor and scent is most like a real lemon, giving it the ability to make terrific tea, hot or iced. Used in cakes and cookies, it adds a distinct lemon flavor.

Here's a recipe I found using Lemon Verbena in a muffin recipe with another summer favorite, zucchini:

Into a large bowl, put the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, lemon peel, cinnamon and nuts.
In another bowl, beat the eggs with a fork, beating in the milk and the oil.
Add to the flour mix and stir well.
Then add the zucchini and lemon verbena and stir all together.
Grease mini-muffin tins and then fill 3/4 full.
Bake at 400 deg. F for 15-20 minutes, depending on the size of the tins.
Test with toothpick.

Glaze: juice the 2 lemons from above and add enough confectioners sugar to make a thin glaze. While the muffins are still hot, dip the tops in the glaze and set on wire rack to drain.

Recipe from In the Kitchen at Shale Hill Farm

Lemon Basil, Ocimum x citriodorum

Lemon Basil

Many people don't realize there is more to basil than simply the Italian or Sweet variety that is so popular for Pesto and other cooking applications. There is Lemon, Lime, various red and purple leaved varieties, African of several types, holy basil or Tulsi from India, Cinnamon, Licorice, Thai and more. Lemon and Lime are similar in that they have a soft and fruity aroma and flavor. Lemon Basil is said to be a cross between standard Basil and African Basil.

Lemon Basil is grown in Northeastern Africa and Southern Asia for culinary purposes. In Laos, it is used in a popular stew called a 'lam' and in Indonesia it is called 'kemangi' and is said to be the only basil used.

It grows like the other basil types, likes warm weather, lots of sun and is not particularly drought tolerant. The leaves are narrower than the Italian types. It's flowers are white and attractive to bees. As with the other basils, it makes a nice container plant or addition to the herb or flower bed.

Use Lemon Basil instead of your traditional basil for pesto, either alone or mixed half and half with parsely or even standard basil. Then try it on pasta, to top steamed, roasted or grilled vegetables or in iced tea for a different flavor. Here's an easy Basil Pesto Recipe. which can be adapted by using varied combinations of leafy green herbs such as Lemon Basil, Parsely or even Lime Basil.

If using chopped Lemon Basil in a dish, add it to the food at the very end of cooking as the flavor cooks out rapidly. Or, simply sprinkle the chopped herb over your dish for a burst of lemony basil flavor. Sauteed Spring or Summer vegetables tossed with Lemon Basil is easy and flavorful to mix with pasta, quinoa or couscous.

Lemon Thyme, Thymus citriodora

Variegated Lemon Thyme

Ah, Lemon Thyme! If you like lemon and savory flavors, then Lemon Thyme is the herb for you. It is so delicious with grilled or steamed vegetables, chicken- stuff it under the skin of a breast portion- and in dips and spreads. Try in with salmon, trout and shrimp.

Lemon Thyme, a variety of the common thyme, Thymus vulgaris, is a perennial herb in most areas. It comes in a couple of types. There is a green variety then there is the Variegated Lemon Thyme with bright green leaves edged in gold. Both have a bright lemony scent and flavor. Lemon Thyme, like the other thymes, grows low to the ground, needs really good drainage and, in the Southern US, grows best with afternoon shade in the summer. The variegated variety is not as winter hardy as the green-leaf type, but I have no trouble with it in my Zone 8b garden.

It puts on tiny pink to lavender flowers during the summer that are visited by bees and other pollinators. Thyme is a great container plant because you can give it perfect drainage there and it looks cute cascading over the edge of a pot.

Lemon Savory, Satureja biflora

Lemon Savory

I wrote a rather long newsletter last year on the Satureja, or Savory, family of herbs. Included was this lemony flavored herb known as Lemon Savory. It looks a little like a cross between thyme and an oregano with small rounded leaves. It's very tender- winter hardy only to Zone 11, but is well worth growing in the summer months. It dried well and keeps its flavor, so if you should grow a lot of it, you can preserve it for winter use. I've never seen it sold commercially as a dried herb.

Like many herbs, it likes lots of sun and like other savories, it's fairly drought tolerant. I grow it easily from seed found at The Thyme Garden, a wonderful nursery located in Oregon. If you have an established plant you can ground layer it to propagate it. That is nothing more than letting a branch or two or three... tound the soil nearby, keeping the soil moist until new roots form where the little branch meets the soil. You can bury a part of the stem and put a rock on it to keep it in the ground or use a bent piece of wire to keep the stem in contact with the soil so the roots can form. Once roots have formed, simply clip the stem the new plant off the mother plant, gently dig it up and replant it where you want it.

I use Lemon Savory much the same way I use Lemon Thyme, on fish, especially salmon, with shrimp and other seafood. It is a nice addition to a vinaigrette either as a tossed green salad dressing or a marinade. It also pairs well with grilled, sauteed or roasted vegetables and is delicious added to chicken soup or stock. You can add it early in the time, as, unlike Lemon Basil, for instance, it does keep its flavor during cooking.

Lemon Balm, Melissa officinalis

Lemon Balm

Lemon Balm is one of those herbs that is found in lots of old herb gardens. It has quite a history of medicinal use and is also used for flavoring food. It is in the mint family and can be a bit of a garden thug if it's happy where it's growing. It grows in a mounded form, but sends out runners like other mints and can end up taking over quite a bit of garden real estate. I would not be without it, however.

I use it for tea, distill it into a hydrosol that is used to soothe irritated skin, add it to baked goods and let it flower to attract bees.

The plant is named 'Melissa', which is Greek for honey, due to its sweet aroma. 'Officinalis' is the medicinal designation for a plant, meaning it is the one traditionally used in herbal healing. It makes a soothing tea which will settle an upset stomach. It blends well with other tea herbs such as peppermint, hibiscus and green tea.

Here in the Southern US and especially in South Texas, Lemon Balm likes more shade than sun. In more temperate areas, it can be grown in a sunny spot. It's not particular about soil conditions and can take heavier, less porous soil than some of the other herbs. It flowers in late summer here. After the flowers fade, I trim the plant down quite a bit... at least by half. By then, the leaves are looking sort of ratty due to the high heat of summer and the plant looks better after a pruning. As the summer wanes, new growth is put on and by fall there is lots of fresh, new growth ready for harvest.

Grate the lemon peel and remove the juice from the lemon. Reserve the juice for the glaze.
Cream butter, sugar, and finely chopped leaves.
Add eggs and beat well to get a smooth consistency.
Add remaining ingredients (flour through lemon rind).
Pour into one large or four miniature greased loaf pans.
Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes if using a large pan or 25-30 minutes if using miniature pans.
Before removing from the pans, use a toothpick to prick holes in the crust.
Pour Lemon Balm Glaze over the top while the loaves are still warm.
Allow to cool completely before removing from the pan. Loaves can be frozen for later use.

~~TIP: To avoid having bits of chopped herbs in the bread, steep the chopped leaves in the liquid for a half an hour or so. If you heat the liquid first, then add the herbs, the flavor develops more fully. This liquid can then be stored in the refrigerator for later use, or used right away in the recipe

I hope this Newsletter has given you some inspiration to grow and try some of the fresh, flavorful, refreshing Lemon-y Herbs that are out there for you. A cold glass of iced tea on a hot afternoon is a great way to start using these lemon-y herbs.

QUOTE FOR THE MONTH

Happiness is a butterfly, which, when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.
-- Nathaniel Hawthorne, American author

Chill
watermelon in the freezer for 30 minutes. Put all the ingredients in
a blender and puree until smooth. Finish with a squeeze of fresh
lemon. Serve very cold in a chilled glass, and garnish with
watermelon or lemon slices.

Blackberry Herb Cocktail

Yield: Serves 6

ingredients

2 cups fresh blackberries

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

2/3 cup water

1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped
fresh rosemary

1 (750-ml) bottle Prosecco
(Italian sparkling white wine), chilled

Garnishes: fresh rosemary sprigs and blackberries

preparation

Simmer blackberries, sugar, water, and rosemary in a small heavy
saucepan, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened and
reduced by about two thirds, about 20 minutes.
Pour into a very fine sieve set over a glass measure and let
stand 5 minutes (there will be about 1/3 cup). Discard solids (do
not press on them). Chill syrup, covered, until cold.
Divide Prosecco among 6 small flutes, then pour 1 1/2 teaspoons
syrup into each drink.

Cooks' notes: This recipe makes more syrup
than you'll need for 6 drinks. Use additional for extra cocktails or
stir it into sparkling water or lemonade for delicious nonalcoholic
drinks. Syrup keeps, covered and chilled, 3 days.

Have you ever
sipped a shrub? Not a bush, but a fruit syrup, preserved with vinegar
and mixed with water or alcohol to make a tangy, refreshing beverage.
An old-fashioned favorite, shrubs have steadily made a comeback,
especially on cocktail menus, but they aren't solely the province of
mixologists. Making a shrub syrup at home is a fun way to preserve
and play with seasonal fruit, and this template may be followed for
practically any fruit you have on hand. In addition to drinks, you
can use the brightly flavored syrup in salad dressings, as a glaze
for meats, or add a splash to homemade jam.

The word "shrub" is derived from the Arabic sharbah,
which means "a drink." "Sherbet" and "syrup"
also come from this Arabic root. Although drinking vinegars aren't so
common today, they have a long history stretching back to the
Babylonians, who added date vinegar to water to make it safe to
drink, and the Romans, who mixed vinegar and water to make a beverage
called posca. Colonial-era sailors carried shrubs, rich with
Vitamin C, aboard their boats to prevent scurvy. Shrubs also gained
popularity during the Temperance movement and many 19th and early
20th century housekeeping manuals contain recipes for them.

Ingredients

2 cups fresh, whole berries (frozen
also works)

2 cups vinegar (we like using Champagne
or apple cider vinegar, though distilled white vinegar may be
substituted in a pinch)

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, or more,
to taste

Tools

Large glass jar with lid

Cheesecloth

Funnel

Clean glass bottle

Combine the fruit and vinegar in a
large jar, tightly screw on the lid and shake vigorously for 10
seconds. Let infuse for one week at room temperature, shaking daily.
Strain the juice through a double layer of cheesecloth and funnel
into a clean glass bottle. Add sugar and shake to combine.
Refrigerate for one week before using, shaking daily until sugar has
fully dissolved.

To dilute in a drink, add one ounce (or
more, depending on taste) to five ounces of soda water. Serve over
ice.

Following the method outlined above,
you can experiment with these other flavor combinations:

Blackberry + fresh thyme

Cucumber + mint + honey

Cherry + vanilla bean + maple syrup

Ginger + Demerara sugar

Apple + agave

Strawberry + basil

Mint
Champagne Shrub

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups loosely packed fresh
mint leaves

1/3 cup superfine sugar

1/2 cup elderflower liqueur

1/3 cup Champagne vinegar

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

3 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Chilled sparkling wine $

Garnish: fresh mint leaves

Preparation

Muddle first 2 ingredients in a cocktail shaker to release
flavors; add elderflower liqueur and next 3 ingredients. Fill shaker
with ice; cover with lid, and shake vigorously until thoroughly
chilled (about 30 seconds). Strain into 8 (8-oz.) glasses; top with
sparkling wine.

Monday, May 12, 2014

We had tons of fun giving the program on Saturday, April 26, 2014 at the Botanical Gardens http://stxbot.org/. Cindy Meredith, Lois Atwood and Linda T. Collins presented the following program at the
gardens. We really enjoyed it and want to thank Carol Krank with the gardens for
scheduling the program!OK because I was at my doctor's office in Houston the day before the program, I
didn't get the handout copies made, BUT like I told everyone, everything will be
posted on here so here goes. The recipes are at the bottom of this blog!

CULINARY HERBS 101: Growing, Harvesting and Using

Introduction: Cooking
with Herbs

The following is my outline for culinary herbs which is done in note form. Not all sentences are complete, but the information is here.

·Herbs are good for you.Using herbs can be a substitute for salt and
fat because you still get the rich taste of food that you are looking for.Also herbs are high in vitamins and
minerals.Herbs can also be used to
soothe the digestive tract. In additional medicinal herbs have been used for years before we had pharmaceutical
companies.

·Herb vs. spice:
Or soft tissue vs. woody tissue.

·Herbs: Plants that do not
develop persistent woody tissue;

·Spices: Derive from the
roots, barks, unopened flowers and seedpods of woody shrubs and trees; various
aromatic vegetable products.

·SOME ARE BOTH HERBS & SPICES,
i.e. dill, fennel, cilantro, chicory,

Warm Weather Herbs
vs. Cool Weather Herbs that Grow in South Texas

·Planting
Herbs (warm weather herbs vs. cool weather herbs) or annuals vs.
perennials: This means planting warm weather herbs and removing when they die
and then planting cool weather herbs, thereby having a year-round garden.Remember that down here on the coastal bend
that many of the annuals become perennials.

Which herbs are
grown for culinary uses – The basic to begin with are:

Basil Ocimum basilicum over 150 species,
but the best for cooking are sweet, sometimes referred to as Genovese,
although they are two different basils, along with lemon, lime, cinnamon,
Thai and lettuce leaf, i.e. Valentino, Mammoth, and Napolitano. The
lettuce leaf varieties can be used on a sandwich in place of lettuce.
Basil is a must-have herb for every kitchen. Grows in full sun; Basil - pesto,
tomato sauce, tomato soup, tomato juice, potato dishes, prawns, meat,
chicken and poultry, pasta, rice, egg dishes.

BayLaurus nobilismake sure that you get the true
Mediterranean bay laurel and not the California bay which is known also as
Oregon myrtle and pepperwood and often substituted for bay laurel. Red bayPersea
borbonia, which grows in south Texas,
has very aromatic leaves which can be substituted for the
common spice, bay leaf, which normally is obtained from bay laurel L.
nobilis, a European species in the same family. Caution - Bay
leaf does not break down during cooking, so always remove it from a dish
before serving. It can cause internal damage by perforation. Bay - soups, stews,
casseroles, meat and poultry marinades, stocks.

Borage Borago officinalis
(Green Salad In Place Of Cucumber); can also eat flowers;grows 1–2
feet high and 2–3 feet wide, producing gray-green, fuzzy,
cucumber-flavored leaves. It prefers cool weather. Pink buds open to blue
star-shaped flowers with a cone of black anthers. Its delicate flowers
attract bees and other beneficial insects and are often used for garnish.

Chili PeppersCapsicum are high in Vitamin C and a must for Tex-Mex foods; Chili - meat,
chicken and poultry, shellfish, tomato dishes, curries.

CardamomEletaria cardamomum Family: ZingiberaceaeCulinary:
Use the dried, ripe seed of the plant if you can get the plant to produce
seeds which is very unusual in Texas.
Used extensively in Indian cuisine.

German Chamomile Matricaria
recutita an annual, although considered an annual, can be taken into
the greenhouse and carried over the winter in more southern localities. It
is used in ointments and salves, and its flowers are used as a tea, which
is said to calm, sooth, and provide relief from spasms and cramps. It will
grow to 18 inches in full sun to partial shade. Like catnip, it can also
be made into a “sleep pillow.”

Roman Chamomile Chamaemelum
nobile hardy perennial, is low growing, 6–9 inches, with tall flower
stalks. It releases a pleasing odor when walked on and makes a nice ground
cover, for which it was used historically.

ChervilAnthriscus
cerefoliumt is a relatively
unknown and unused low growing herb. Chervil, with its mild anise flavor,
can be used in place of parsley and in sauces and thrown into a salad for
an added surprise flavor. Chervil grows to a height of 12 to 26 inches.Chervil
prefers a cool and moist location; otherwise it rapidly goes to seed.

Chives
which are one of the allium
species a/k/a onion genus (leeks, shallots, scallions, chives both onion
and garlic, garlic),the hardy
perennial chives, onion and garlic are often confused. Onion chives have
tubular leaves and lavender flowers, and garlic chives have flat leaves
and white flowers which bloom all summer. The garlic chives are stronger
in flavor, so they should be used in moderation. Chives - salads, chicken, soups,
cheese dishes, egg dishes, mayonnaise, vinaigrettes.

Coriander
(English) a/k/a cilantro (Spanish)Coriandrum sativum Have you ever tried to grow
cilantro during the hot, humid summer months and failed? Cilantro, a
cool-weather annual, is one of the many cool-weather herbs that needs to be
planted in the late fall, and it should thrive through May when it will bolt.
Let it do so and come fall you should be rewarded with a new bed of cilantro.
Cilantro is a plant that is both a spice, the seeds, and an herb, the leaves. Coriander - Asian dishes,
stir fries, curries, soups, salads, seafood. You also might try new ‘Delfino’
cilantro, an All America Selections winner that bears finely cut, feathery
leaves. After two years of growing ‘Delfino’, Jensen says it was the slowest
cilantro to bolt in the Johnny’s field trials and it has a mild flavor that
may make converts of people who think they don’t like the taste of cilantro.

DillAnethum graveolens Bouquet, Fernleaf, Mammoth.
Likes full sun, protect from strong winds. Plant every two weeks or so for
continuous dill. Great cool-weather herb, with foliage is aromatic, feathery
and fernlike plumes. Swallowtail larvae depend on it. Culinary: Dill pickles,
salads, breads, baked potatoes, soups, butters, vinegars, fresh vegetables and
fish and seafood. Both an herb and spice (seeds). Tea made from dill promotes
sleep and reduces nervousness and aids in digestion. It is another cool-weather
annual which should be planted in the fall. It, like cilantro, is both a spice
and an herb. Recipes will specify dill seed when calling for the seed or dill
weed or dill when calling for the leaf. OK, we all know about the wonderful
flavor of dill pickles. However, dill can be used in many culinary dishes,
including fish, seafood dishes, potatoes (great in potato salad or roasted
potatoes) and other vegetables, breads, soups, and sauces. Also dill can be
used to make herbal butters, oils and vinegars. And if you really want to perk
up an omelet, put a little dill in the egg mixture. Dill tea is said to promote
sleep, reduce nervousness and aid in digestion. It is said that early American
settlers called dill seed "meetinghouse seed," chewing them to stave
off the boredom and hunger of long sessions in church or town meetings. They
also used dill to ward off witches. Huh, I wonder if it works. Dill - salads, sauces,
fish, salad, sour cream, cheese and potato dishes.

EpazoteChenopodium ambrosioides No discussion of the
herb flavors of Mexico
would be complete without epazote (e-pa-ZO-te). Fresh epazote has dark green
serrated leaves. You'll probably need to visit a Hispanic food store to find it
fresh. The dried leaves have less punch but are a reasonable substitute. Epazote
is often used with dried beans, corn or fish. It is reputed to be effective in
reducing intestinal gas. Epazote behaves like a tender perennial in most of Texas. It will survive
to the coming year if winter temperatures are mild. Because of its invasive
habit - springing up at the drop of a seed - don't add epazote to your herb
garden. Plant it separately instead, somewhere it will have lots of sun and
open space.

FennelFoeniculum vulgare Green,
Florence and Bronze Fennel seed can be planted in either spring or fall
or transplant nursery grown plants to the garden, because fennel is a
perennial and will not die after setting seed. The entire anise-flavored
culinary herb is used, including the seeds, bulb, stems and fronds. After
collecting the seeds, cut the plant down to the ground and new growth will
follow. One cup of fennel has only 30 calories. It is high in fiber,
vitamin C, calcium and iron. It breaks down fats and aids in digestion. It
is another herb with a history of medicinal, magical and culinary uses.
Fennel was used by the ancient Egyptians as a food and medicine, and was
considered a snake bite remedy in ancient China.
During the Middle Ages it was hung over doorways to drive away evil
spirits. Fennel - stuffings, sauces,
seafood. NOTE: Dill
and fennel will cross pollinate. According to the Encyclopedia of
Herbs and Their Uses by Deni Bown, page 386, she states the
following: Closely related genera may also interbreed if they are
grown together and flower at the same time; dill and fennel are known to
cross, resulting in plants that are indeterminate in flavor. We found
this to be true in our Master Gardener demonstration gardens.

GingerZingiber officinale: Family: Zingiberaceae (Ginger) Culinary:
Ginger has been called a spice lover’s spice. Use the roots of ginger
sweets, meats, fish, poultry, and teas. It is used extensively in Chinese
cooking. The roots of all gingers are edible and have varying
degrees of hotness. A shiny, smooth, thick-skinned hand of ginger means
fresh; peal the ginger for cooking. Ginger has been called a spice lover’s
spice. Use the roots of ginger in sweets, meats, fish, poultry, and teas.
It is used extensively in Chinese and Indian cooking. Do not freeze ginger
because it becomes stringy and tough. Store it in a container or plastic
bag and make sure it is covered with white wine, white wine vinegar, or
sherry, and it will last for a very long time. This liquid can be used in
recipes too such as salad dressings. Pickled ginger (gari) is used in
Japanese sushi and helps settle an upset stomach. Also ginger ale and
gingersnap cookies are good for an upset stomach. Ginger - cakes,
biscuits, Asian dishes.

Kaffir LimeCitrus hystrix, c. papedia: Family: Rutaceae (Citrus) – Zones 10 - 11. All citrus trees are native
to SE Asia. Small shrubby perennial
trees, 10-16 feet with sharp spikes and unusual double leaves. It needs
well drained soil and direct sunlight. Scent is a cross between lime,
orange and lemon. Fruit has a rough knobby surface and thick skin. The
outer rind is generally the only part of the fruit used The Kaffir lime is
quite hardy and easily grown in full sun in a container or well-drained
position in the garden. In fact the hotter the spot the better. Like all
citrus, feed with a good all purpose fertilizer in spring and don’t forget
to give your kaffir lime a little bit of a feed in winter to help it put
out a fantastic spring flush of growth. When you notice a yellowing of the
leaves, it might be chlorosis, but not iron, but rather zinc. I’ve been
told by a owner of a citrus farm in the Valley that generally citrus that
get chlorosis generally need zinc, then manganese, and then if these two
don’t work, try iron as a last substitute. Culinary:
Their leaves, zest, and juice are used in Thai, Cambodian, and Indonesian
cooking. It is used in Thai dishes, from soups and salads to curries and stir-fried
dishes. They are the ingredient that blends marvelously with lemon grass
and lime juice in soups.

Lemon BalmMelissa officinalis
Herb of the Year 2007 both the lemon balm and the lime balm are in the
mint family, and like mint, they are easy to grow and can become somewhat
invasive. The fresh leaves give a citrus flavor when used in cooking. You
can use it in any recipe to give a lemon flavor. Also it makes into a
refreshing summertime iced tea. Lemon balm smells like lemon cough drops.

Lemon VerbenaAloysia triphylla is a tender perennial
that is considered the sweetest of all the lemon herbs and is one of the
favorites of herb gardeners. It is used as a culinary herb in teas,
salads, desserts, vegetables and seafood dishes. Also a clean, dry sprig
can be dropped into a bottle of white wine, recorked and let sit for a
while in the refrigerator and then serve the cold wine for a refreshing
summer time drink. For aromatic relief, add an infusion of fresh or dried
leaves to your bath.

Lemon GrassCymbopogonspp. Zone 8 - 10. Thought to be native to
India/Tropical Asia. A clumping fountain grass which grows to 3’ to 5’.
They say flowering is rare, but I know that all of mine and Pam’s flower.
It is a frost tender perennial, and it can be grown in the ground or in
containers. It likes moist, well-drained soil and likes full sun, but can
take some dapple sunlight. The blades are sharp so be careful. Culinary:
Their leaves can be used to make a tea, but it is probably too much
work to try to get enough to get any flavor. The part of the plant that is
used is the lower, almost white section of the stem. Depending on the
recipe you can cut the white part into 2” to 3” stems, or thinly slice
crosswise, or chopped, or pounded or minced. If you are using the larger
pieces, discard before serving because they are fibrous and tough. It is
used in SE Asian dishes and is great for any dish that you want to have a
lemon flavor. It is great in stir fries, rice, sauces, curries, seafood,
soups, and tea. Lemon grass is a tender perennial that can be grown as an
ornamental grass. Be careful when handling the sharp edged leaves which
can cause cuts much like a paper cut. You can run your hand up the leaves
without any cuts, but be sure not to run your hand down the leaves.
Lemongrass has a clear lemon flavor with flowery overtones. The leaves can
be used to make a tea, but it is probably too much work to try to get
enough to get flavor because the aroma fades quickly from the upper part
of the leaf. Generally, the part of the plant that is used is the lower,
light green to almost white section of the stem. Depending on the recipe
you can cut the white part into 2” to 3” stems, or thinly slice crosswise,
or chop, or pound or mince. If you are using the larger pieces, discard
before serving because they are fibrous and tough. It is used in SE Asian
dishes and is great for any dish that you want to have a lemon flavor.

Lemon Grass,East Indian Cymbopogon
flexuosus smaller form of Cymbopogon spp. with same usage and
cultural practices. Better for containers because of its smaller size. Can
start from seed.

Marjoram Sweet marjoramOriganum
majorana is considered the sweetest, and many think the best,
of the origanums. Have you ever
noticed that it is sometimes difficult to tell marjoram from oregano? That
is because they are in the same genus. Any recipe that calls for oregano
will often call for marjoram which has a more delicate flavor. It is used
extensively in Italian and Greek cuisine in meat, soup, sauces, oils and
vinegars. Sweet, mild aromatic herb used in meat
dishes and with tomatoes. If left to flower, it's a great bee plant. Tea
used to relieve symptoms of colds, headaches and to settle upset stomachs.
Dried leaves are a fragrant ingredient in potpourri. Marjoram Sweet -
meat, fish, egg dishes, cheese dishes, pizza.

Mexican Mint Marigold a/k/a Texas TarragonTagetes Lucida Use it to substitute for French Tarragon
which will not grow here in the south because it is too hot and humid.The
mild anise flavored leaves can be chopped and added to any dish calling
for French Tarragon. It is good in soups, eggs, meats, especially poultry,
salads, seafood, and it makes for a great tea. And when it blooms in the
fall, snip those flowers and throw them into a salad for color and flavor.
Tarragon -
salad dressing, egg dishes.

Mints Mentha are generally divided into two groups, spearmint Mentha
spicata and peppermint Mentha piperita with spearmint being the
one that is the most often used. About 600 but spearmints &
peppermints; will cross pollinate; damp & shade; Apple
Mint has a very light taste and slightly fuzzy leaves. Chocolate Mint is a variation of
Peppermint with purple stems and some say a hint of chocolate flavor - use
like Peppermint. Doubleminttastes like a combination of
Peppermint and Spearmint. Orange Mint
(Mentha aquatica 'Citrata')
tastes and smells like Bergamot, so it adds great to a fine Earl Grey tea. Peppermint (Mentha x piperita) makes a great tea and
is good for flavoring ice cream. There are plain and variegated forms of Pineapple Mint, which is very similar to
Apple Mint; use the variegated form so you can tell them apart. Spearmint(Mentha spicata) is good in
tea in combination with Peppermint,
but not so great alone. It makes great jelly for lamb and a nice garnish
for desserts and mint juleps
and is popular in Middle Easterncuisine.
Mint tea, especially which made from Peppermint, is supposed to help
settle the stomach, in addition to being used as a diuretic. Also
available, but harder to find, are Candy, Corsican (hard but not impossible to grow down
here in south Texas),
Lavender(Mentha x piperita 'Lavender'),
Lemon(try 'Hillary's Sweet Lemon'), andLime Mint.
I also grow Banana
Mint which does smell and taste similar to bananas. And I have a
somewhat rare Habeck Mint. This biblical mint has unusual long and narrow
leaves with a spearmint taste and fragrance which makes an excellent tea.
And what would the Kentucky Derby be without the Mint Julep (spearmint)? Mint - drinks,
confectionary, meat, chicken, yoghurt, desserts, sauces, vegetable dishes.

Oregano Origanum 25 species including
Greek Oregano, the most commonly used oregano, along with sweet marjoram,
which is sometimes called the "prince of herbs". There are over
25 species of oregano including Greek oregano. Oregano is sometimes called
wild marjoram. It is used extensively in Italian, Spanish and Mexican
cooking. What’s spaghetti sauce without oregano, right? But you can also
use oregano in vegetables, beans, meats and soups. Remember oregano is a
strong herb, so go easy when seasoning dishes with it. Oregano - cheese
dishes, egg dishes, tomato sauce, pizza, meat, stuffing, bread, pasta.

Oregano, MexicanLippia
graveolens It is a slender aromatic shrub or small tree, whose
pubescent (felty) branches bear rounded to obtuse, bluntly serrated
leaves. Fragrant flowers are yellowish or white with a yellow eye and
occur throughout the year, especially after rains. With hot peppery leaves
and beautiful tubular lavender flowers; Mexican Oregano is not a true
oregano, but rather a member of the verbena family. It is often
substituted for oregano in recipes as is the Cuban Oregano which is a member
of the coleus family. Both the Mexican Oregano and Cuban Oregano can be
substituted for oregano, but they will give a slightly different taste
than true oregano.

Oregano, Mexican Poliomintha
longiflora if you have room for just one native herb, then
Mexican oregano is your best choice. The leaves of this shrubby herb are a
somewhat spicy replacement for garden oregano. When substituting, reduce
the amount in your recipe to about two-thirds of garden oregano. Mexican
oregano likes full sun but will also grow in partial shade. This graceful
perennial provides lovely color through summer and into fall with tubular
white, pink and lavender flowers. It generally reaches 3 feet. In my shade
garden, however, it is prostrate, growing no higher than about 10 inches.
Although native to the drier regions of Texas, it can adapt to the humid gulf
area. It can also be grown in containers, where it will delight you with a
cascade of showy flowers.

Cuban OreganoPlectranthus
amboinicusCuban Oregano is a very tender perennial and a
member of the same family as Coleus, and as such is not a true oregano. It
does share the same general taste as the oreganos, and can be used as a
substitute, though this is more common in Cuba
and surrounding areas than it is in the US. Cuban Oregano makes a nice
houseplant - especially the variegated type shown above, and is propagated
easily by cuttings. This is not a true oregano, but is used in place of
oregano in Caribbeancuisines. Fleshy,
grey/green fuzzy leaves on a stocky trunk. Most gringos grow this in a pot
as an ornamental. Very unusual and fragrant plant.

Parsley Petroselinum crispum curly-leaf
French and flat-leaf Italian Petroselinum crispum var.
neapolitanum, lots of vitamin
A, B, C; swallowtail butterflies like this plus dill and fennel; freshens
breath and helps tone down the garlic odor; flat-leaf is considered to be the
more flavorful variety. OK, we all know
about that little piece of parsley that restaurants place on your plates. Do
you know that it is more than a garnish? When eaten after a meal, it is actually there to help“freshen”
the breath and help to tone down garlic odor. Both the curly-leaf and the flat-leaf are easy to grow and attractive in
the garden. These are cool-weather herbs that need to be planted in either
early spring or late fall. Add parsley just before serving to preserve vitamins
A, B and C and minerals. Swallowtail butterflies like parsley along with
dill and fennel. Parsley
- pesto, egg dishes, pasta, rice dishes, salads, butter, sauces, seafood,
vegetable dishes.

RosemaryRosmarinus officinalis upright/prostrate
and sun/shade; Native to the Mediterranean region and gets its name from ros (dew) and marinus (sea). In Texas
it is a hardy, sun-loving perennial shrub, although it can take dapple
sunlight. It needs a well-drained soil. And they can grow up to 5’high. The
flowers of rosemary are generally blue, but there are also varieties that
produce white and pink flowers. The rosemary can either be an upright or a
prostrate. Culinary: Commercially it is used in backed goods, condiments,
relishes, snake foods, gravies and alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages. It
is great in fish, poultry, meat, bread, sauces, potatoes, soups and desserts.
Tie together a small bundle and use as a brush for the barbecue. Go easy when
first using rosemary. Rosemary is a
very versatile must-have herb in the kitchen. It is very pungent, so use it
sparingly until you learn to enjoy it. Use it in all kinds of recipes, i.e. meats,
seafood, breads, vegetables, salads, eggs, butters, oils, vinegars, teas and
even desserts. Use the woody stems as a skewer and thread meats and vegetables
onto it and roast on the grill. I do not care for sweets, but I really like
these rosemary cookies. Rosemary - fish, poultry, meat, bread, sauces, soups.

Sage Salvia officinalis
a/k/a garden sage; over 900 species of salvias, Known
most often simply as “sage,” S.
officinalis comes in several varieties including tricolor, Berggarten,
purple, golden and many others that describe difference in leaf color and
shape. Slight difference in taste may occur from variety to variety, but they
can be used interchangeably in recipes. You may also find that one variety does
better in your garden than another, so experiment with several varieties.Sage - stuffings, tomato dishes, cheese
dishes.

Salad
BurnetSanguisorba minor, like chervil, is a
relatively unknown and unused herb. It is best grown as a cool-weather,
short-lived perennial, so expect to replace it from time to time. The
wonderful cucumber flavor is great in salads, vinegars, butters,
vegetables, beans, mushrooms and other dishes. And it is considered to be
a diuretic. Salad Burnet is a charming evergreen plant whose 12 inch
fountains of scalloped foliage form a wonderful flower bed edging. Salad
burnet will grow in a sunny site, but seems to do best when shaded in the
afternoon. A prime location would be under a deciduous tree so that it can
soak up winter’s rays, but not suffer a summer sunburn. Grown easily from
seed, salad burnet has interesting “button-like” flower heads in the
summer, but the main attraction is the cucumber scented foliage. The
leaves make a delightful herbal vinegar to be used on fish and in salad
dressings.

Thyme Thymus vulgarisabout 400
varieties; will cross pollinate; give dapple sunlight; Thyme can be used
in the same recipes that include oregano and marjoram. Savory herb for flavoring meat, eggs, cheese dishes
and soups. Robust grower. Spreads nicely to form a tight clump. Good
drainage is essential, as this herb will easily "drown" if roots
are allowed to say too wet. Plant in raised bed if necessary. Good for
container planting. Lemon thyme is good in savory dishes especially
fish, stuffings and vegetables. Thyme - chowders, bread, chicken and poultry, soups, stock,
stews, stuffings, butter, cheese, mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar.

Savory,
Winter Satureja montana
is a perennial cousin to the annual Summer SavoryS. hortensis. If harvested when
stems are young, the flavor is very similar to the annual Savory. In cooking, winter savory has a
reputation for going very well with both beans and meats, very often
lighter meats such as chicken or turkey and can be used in stuffing.
It has a strong flavor while uncooked but loses much of its flavor under
prolonged cooking. It may also be used medicinally, it is a stimulant, and
is also a known aphrodisiac. Older leaves can be very strong.
Savory should not be eaten in excess by pregnant women.

Bring the chicken
broth to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Add quinoa, reduce heat to
medium-low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender and the liquid has
been absorbed, about 13 minutes. Stir in olive oil; fluff quinoa with a fork.
Set aside to cool slightly.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add
garlic, paprika, cumin and coriander; cook, stirring, until fragrant but not browned,
about 20 seconds. Add carrots, water, lemon juice and salt; bring to a simmer.
Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until almost tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Uncover
and simmer, stirring often, until the carrots are just tender and the liquid is
syrupy, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in parsley. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Added spicy stir fry sauce along with the hoisin
sauce in equal amounts.

**I doubled the dressing recipe and added 1
tablespoon each of sesame oil and/or chili oil.Chili oil will give it more heat! OR DON'T ADD ANY DRESSING AND ENJOY THE FLAVOR OF THE LEMON GRASS!

***Substituted unsalted peanuts for the almonds.

Lemon Grass Rice

Cook rice according to
directions, but add 2 stalks of lemon grass, only use the white portion towards
the bottom.Just pound it to release the
flavors (can use a meat pounder or a rolling pen) and put it in for cooking,
remove before serving.

Grate the lemon peel and remove the juice from the lemon. Reserve the juice for the glaze. Cream butter, sugar, and finely chopped leaves. Add eggs and beat well to get a smooth consistency. Add remaining ingredients (flour through lemon rind). Pour into one large or four miniature greased loaf pans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes if using a large pan or 25-30 minutes if using miniature pans.

Before removing from the pans, use a toothpick to prick holes in the crust. Pour Lemon Balm Glaze over the top while the loaves are still warm. Allow to cool completely before removing from the pan. Loaves can be frozen for later use.

LEMON BALM GLAZE

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons finely chopped lemon balm leaves

Juice from one fresh lemon (about 4 tablespoons)

~~TIP:

To avoid having bits of chopped herbs in the bread, steep the chopped leaves in the liquid for a half an hour or so. If you heat the liquid first, then add the herbs, the flavor develops more fully. This liquid can then be stored in the refrigerator for later use, or used right away in the recipe.

Mission Statement

The Rockport Herb & Rose Study Group, founded in March 2003, is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to increasing public knowledge and awareness about herbs and roses.

Come and learn everything you ever wanted to know about herbs. Do you know that there are over 2,000 herbs and that roses are herbs too? Do you know that many of our Texas Native Plants are also herbs? Herbs are used not only for culinary purposes, but also for medicinal, cosmetic and craft purposes.

We meet the second Wednesday of every month at the ACISD Maintenance Department Formerly Rockport Elementary, 619 N. Live Oak Street, Room 14, Rockport, Texas at 10:00 a.m. to discuss all aspects of using and growing herbs including the historical uses of the herbs and tips for successful propagation and cultivation.

We are open to the public. Some members of the group are available as speakers to other audiences